Bulldogs football season comes to an end

The football team ended their season with a tough loss to Fenton for the conference title this year. The game started with Fenton having a strong first drive and taking over the first half leading 13-0. The Bulldogs attempted an onside kick to give them the ball, but it failed. They would then score twice to knot the game up. Fenton would reply with a big run that led them to a late touchdown to secure the win. 

“I was disappointed with our end result, but not in the effort the boys put in,” Coach Jason Rech said, “we were only a few plays from changing our record to 6-3 or better.”

This was Rech’s first year as head coach for the Bulldogs, and the first change in the offense in many years. The new system was new and did quite well. Coach Dallas Till said, “ it was a good system and everyone enjoyed working and talking about it and it brought the coaching staff and the team together.”

Looking back on the season, Coach Rech said, “it was a quick, fast paced four months. I did not get as much time with the this team as I will next year.” Coach Rech will be able to develop his team in the off season in the weight room and in the summer more effectively.  Now that he assured the head coaching position for next year, he can prepare much earlier than this year.

The Bulldogs will be letting go of nineteen seniors and Rech cannot thank them enough for the hard work they put in throughout the years. The final season record was 4-5 overall (4-2 in conference) just one game short from taking conference.  Next year will be exciting with over 10 returning juniors to the lineup to hoping to take conference.

Big time: Alumnus Davis playing in NFL

One outstanding stat for high school athletes is that only 1 in every 50,000 becomes a professional athlete. To make it to the pros, and make it big time, is always a dream that athletes dream of.  They practice hard and play even harder so they can fulfill that dream.

That hard work paid off for one of our own who graduated in 2003, his name Britt Davis.

Davis is currently on the practice squad for the Denver Broncos in the National Football League.

Davis was a three sport athlete in his days at RB. He ran track, played basketball and football. He was one of RB’s best athletes of his time. He helped two 5A teams to the playoffs in football. After Davis had graduated in 2003, he left RB with 90 touchdowns, nine 300 yard passing games and his face on the Wall of Fame here at RB. He was awarded as an All-State quarterback in 2003.

When asked what his favorite memory of RB football was Davis said, “My favorite memory would have to be my senior year when we beat Morris who was ranked pretty high that year. The reason was we played when I was a junior and they just beat me up, so it felt good when we beat them; or it would have to be my sophomore year when I played corner and we played Joliet Catholic.”

After he graduate in 2003, Davis was recruited by Northern Illinois as a quarterback. As he soon figured his new role at NIU would be as a wide receiver. His biggest year came in 2006 when he hauled in 57 receptions for 731 yards and 3 touchdowns. And from there Davis made a impact and his name would be put into the NIU Huskies record book. He finished his four year career as the fifth overall in NIU history with 146 receptions and  1,1676 yards.

After his career at NIU, Davis signed with the New York Jets in 2009. Davis made his transition from college to the pros easily “the transition for me was easy, I thought. In college you have to worry about class grades and practice. Being a professional athlete is eat, sleep, football,” he said.

Davis was undrafted in 2009 when the Jets signed him where he has his favorite memory which is he ran a twenty yard in route for his first career reception. His stay was short in New york, but now Davis is signed to be on the practice team for the Denver  Broncos.

Davis said, “At this level it’s a business. Growing up playing HS, playing in college it’s a game. Now at the end of the day it’s our job to play football, were all here to work. We eat sleep and play football.”

Maybe one day Davis will get his shot at showing people what he can do, playing in front of thousands on a Sunday afternoon.

Injuries change Bulldog football season

The football team is going through some tough times as of late. They have sidelined more than six players due to injuries. This will have an impact on their upcoming game at Fenton.

Some notables names are Andy Suzuki with a concussion, Dylan Beketic with bruised ribs, Tim Potts with a dislocated shoulder, and Alfredo Torres with knee problems. Torres’ high school career ended after visiting the doctor and hearing his ACL is torn. Potts will finish his season too.

Suzuki and Beketic will be out for the week and hopefully can start practicing within the next two weeks. “Injuries happen and we take them very seriously,” Head Coach Jason Rech said, “Technology helps to have the players take tests to diagnose if they are truly injured or not.”

Some shifts on the offensive side of the ball will result. David Skowronski will take over as the starting quarterback. “It feels good to be back behind center, let’s hope for the best for Dylan,” he said. Tyler Flores will be taking the bulk of the carries.

Fenton will be a tough matchup. They are 2-0 in conference so far, on top of everyone else. “We have to limit turnovers and consistently move the ball,” Rech said. Defense is doing their job forcing turnovers to give the offense as many chances to score as possible. The Bulldogs suffered a tough loss at Ridgewood the previous week and can hopefully bounce back for a road win tonight.

Bears top Packers in age old rivalry

Its been a rivalry that’s been going on since 1921: the Chicago Bears and Greenbay Packers.  Some of the game’s greatest like Bart Star, Ray Nitshki , Walter Payton and Mike Ditka have all been a part of the long and fierce rivalry. Two of the game’s best quarterbacks have been introduced to the rivalry as showed on Monday night, Bears QB Jay Cutler and Packers QB Aaron Rodgers were in the showdown until the end of the game. It came down to the leg of one of the game’s most accurate kickers, Bears Kicker Roby Gould, who put one through the up rights with seconds to spare.

Despite Aaron Rodgers passing for 361 yards and one TD, his Packers couldn’t prevail over the always tough Bears. His favorite target of the night was TE Jermicheal  Finely who had a outstanding game receiving,  hauling in 9 receptions for 115 yards. The thing that really hurt the Packers Monday night were the mental faults. The Packers had 18 penalties for 152 yards,  which sets the record of penalties in a game.

Now for the Bears it was a solid, good game for them. Their leading rusher of the day was the Cutler,  who had three carries for 37 yards. But what really helped them was the always stout Bears defense. The defense has allowedthe fewest rushing  yards of any team in the first three games. The have been only allowing an outstanding 64 yards a game. Monday they allowed only 63 yards on the ground.  They also got some help from reliable punt return man Devin Hester who made a big return which really helped the bears momentum.

Bringing home a win for Homecoming

On Friday night, September 17, the football team brought home their first victory of the season in a dominant performance at Shuey Stadium. The Bulldogs defeated Elmwood Park 61-8 for their last game before the Homecoming dance.

 The game was theirs from the very beginning, with a score on the first drive two minutes into the game.

“This was the best game they played all season. The boys were hungry and motivated to bring home the win,” coach Dallas Till said.

Head Coach Jason Rech’s offense took command scoring all 61 points without a reply until the Tigers scored in the last two minutes of the game and converted for two points. Systems for the offense and defense began to click this game, showing a relentless offense and a near-perfect defense. The defense brought in multiple turnovers, including a number of sacks.

Till was not disappointed in giving up the shut out at all. “They (Elmwood Park) strived to get the shutout but, tips to Elmwood Park for not giving up and I give them credit for giving effort throughout the whole game,” he said.

Big offense came from players like Nick Callahan totaling 147 rushing yards with a pair of touchdowns and Andy Suzuki rushed for 82 yards and also picking up two touchdowns. Other notables included Tyler Radek, Thomas Linehan, and Shelton Sharkey, who each went to the end zone.

Positions on both sides of the ball still are being moved around. “Each week there are changes we make and our coaching staff encourages competition for positions,” Till said.

“I think that this is good and that we are all pushing each other to get better and improve,” team member David Skowronski said.

The Bulldogs face Ridgewood this week and Fenton the following week. These will be tough challenges to be on top of the conference.

“We just have to take them one game at a time,” Till said.

Otto-man “empire” ends; a new era begins

There have been a lot of moves on the coaching staff for the football team in the off-season. One that has gained much popularity is long-term coach Otto Zeman being removed and having Jason Rech as the new head coach.  This also brought in a whole new system of offense, bringing in a running game that has not been seen at Riverside Brookfield in a long time.

New coaches, including Tim Brasic, Dan Monahan,  and Tom Fuller joined the team. Brasic is the new head coach for the freshmen and Monahan and Fuller are returning to the staff after taking a few years off.

“I’m excited to have them back,” Rech said.

The new offense will be running the ball more this year.  “We are going to be running the ball this year. There will be a lot more balance in terms of running and passing,” Rech said.

A greater variety of running plays will be brought in including options, traps, zones, etc. Stabilizing running backs and quarterbacks is crucial in helping this offense.  Some key players will be Nick Callahan starting at quarterback and Tyler Radek as running back/wide receiver.

Radek was quite pleased in the new systems this year. “I like running the ball, not as much passing, focusing on more people getting involved as oppose to just one or two players,” he said.

On the defensive end, the systems will basically stay the same. Many juniors will be added in the mix on defense.  Other notable defense players are David Skowronski as defensive end and Radek in the secondary.

Expectations are never at a low for the football team. “We can make playoffs. We all are striving to get there and I think we can this year,” Callahan said.

Radek expects similar goals as well. “I truly we can finish the season off strong and make playoffs, then take it one game at a time,” he said.

The Bulldogs are off to a rough start of 0-2, losing to Lemont the past Friday, but if the systems will kick in, fans can hope for some Bulldog victories.

NFL playoffs prediction: Colts win again

The start of 2010 means New Year’s resolutions and a fresh start for everybody. For us sports fans it means the NFL playoffs and the road to the Super Bowl. It also is time for each fan to give predictions for the Playoffs. Here is my insight.

Wildcard Round

Game: New York Jets at Cincinnati Bengals: Bengals 27, Jets 13

Spin: In my opinion, this is the easiest game to predict in the playoffs. Rookie quarterbacks typically don’t fare well in the playoffs, especially one with 12 touchdowns and 20 interceptions like March Sanchez. The Bengals defense will force Sanchez into at least three interceptions.

Game: Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots: Patriots 24, Ravens 17

Spin: The Patriots are banged up going into this matchup, though I still think they will win. Tom Brady has had numerous small injuries throughout the year, but the loss of Wes Welker is the biggest blow to the Patriots. The Ravens need a big game from their defense and Pro-Bowl running back Ray Rice to win, but I think they will come up short.

Game: Green Bay Packers at Arizona Cardinals: Packers 35, Cardinals 24

Spin: The Packers are hot, winning seven of their last eight to finish the season, including a 33-7 win against the Cardinals in week 17. Both teams flaunt high scoring offenses. The Packers are led by Aaron Rodgers and Donald Driver; the Cardinals have Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald. The Packers solid defense, led a secondary featuring Charles Woodson and Nick Collins, will make the difference.

Game: Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys: Eagles 30, Cowboys 27

Spin: What’s the old saying? Can’t beat a team three times in a season? I think this is the case for the Eagles who have lost twice to the Cowboys this year. Quarterback Donovan McNabb has lots of playoff experience, and he should have a good game. Tony Romo will struggle in the playoffs again for the Cowboys sending Dallas fans into hysteria.

Divisional Playoff Round:

Game: Cincinnati Bengals at San Diego Chargers: Chargers 31, Bengals 13

Spin: If you thought that the Packers were hot, then the Chargers are something else. They’ve won their last eleven games and will continue that streak. The Bengals defense won’t have as much success against Philip Rivers and the Bengals offense will struggle as well.

Game: New England Patriots at Indianapolis Colts: Colts 35, Patriots 34

Spin: How many times will we see Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady in the playoffs? Well, at least one more as Brady and co. will travel to the dome in Indianapolis to take on the Colts. This game will be a shootout as neither team has a great defense. The winner of this game typically wins the Super Bowl; I like the Colts.

Game: Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings: Vikings 31, Packers 27

Spin: Vikings vs. Packers round 3. Remember the old rule that you can’t beat a team three times in a year? Disregard that for this game as I like the Favres to beat the Packers for the third time this year. Both teams have really good defenses, but the offenses are the story of this game. A late touchdown pass from Favre is the difference for Minnesota.

Game: Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans Saints: Eagles 23, Saints 17

Spin: Many people think the Cowboys are going to take down the Eagles, but I have the Eagles winning two games in the playoffs. The combination of blitzes will have Drew Brees confused and the Eagles will hold the Saints to just 17 points. Out of the top four seeds, the Saints look the weakest as they are losers of three straight.

Conference Championships:

AFC Game: San Diego Chargers at Indianapolis Colts: Colts 38, Chargers 27

Spin: Another shootout in the AFC, but Philips Rivers can’t keep up with Peyton Manning. The Chargers have knocked out the Colts the past two years, but not this year. The Colts are no longer unbeaten, but they have their players healthy. Neither team can run very well, so the quarterback position becomes even more important. Edge: Colts.

NFC Game: Philadelphia Eagles at Minnesota Vikings: Vikings 30, Eagles 17

Spin: The Eagles are trying to repeat what their Pennsylvania friends (the Steelers), have done in the past: win the Super Bowl as a six seed. The Vikings are at home, where the whole team plays better. The Eagles can’t run the football, while the Vikings have Adrian Peterson shoving the ball down their throat. Peterson is the difference as he runs for 150+ yards.

 Super Bowl XLIV

Game: Minnesota vs. Indianapolis Colts (in Miami): Colts 34, Vikings 28

Spin: Brett Favre decided to come back for another year and it was a good decision. He made it to the Super Bowl, but will come up short. Favre throws for three touchdowns in his final game, but Peyton Manning and the Colts are able to overcome this and win. The Vikings run the ball better than the Colts, but the Vikings can’t cover Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark. Colts win a close won to capture a second Super Bowl in four years.

Lovie, Bears are underachieving

It seems like just yesterday that the Chicago Bears got Jay Cutler and seemed poised to make a playoff run. It is now week 14 in the NFL and the Bears are 5-8, third in the NFC North because the dreadful Lions are still in their division. Cutler has not even been close to what Bears fans expected when they traded Kyle Orton and first round draft picks in the 2009 and 2010 drafts. Instead, the Bears got a gunslinger who has a laser arm, but takes too many chances with the football. This is why Cutler leads the NFL with 22 interceptions.

After the Bears beat the Steelers in week two for the first win and won the next two games, it appeared as if the Bears were in good shape. Then they went on to lose seven of their next nine games. They lost big (45-10 to the Bengals and 41-21 to the Cardinals), they lost close (21-14 to the Falcons and 10-6 to the 49ers), and they lost to their division rivals in the Packers and Vikings. The two wins during this span came against teams just as bad or worse as the Lions: Rams (1-12) and Browns (2-11).

When a team is struggling and has as much talent as the Bears do, the head coach is always going to be on the hot seat. For the Bears, that coach is Lovie Smith. After this stretch of poor plays by the Bears, fans have begun calling for his job.

Like all head coaches, he has had his share of ups and downs. In 2006, he led the Bears to their first Super Bowl since they won it in 1985. After that, it has not been so pleasant for Smith and the Bears. They finished 7-9 and 9-7 since the Super Bowl lost to the Colts, though they were expected to do a lot better with the dominant defense they had. After another year in which they underachieved, there is a good chance that Smith will not be back for another year.

Since Jay Cutler was the big signing during the offseason, most of the blame has been centered towards him for the Bears. Though he has not played well, the defense is also a big reason why the Bears are just 5-8. No longer the menacing defense that they were in the past, the Bears have been hurting since the loss of Brian Urlacher for the year. Three times this year Chicago has given up over 35 points and they have given up 291 points already this year. Consider the dominant defense the Bears had during their Super bowl year when they allowed 209 points the entire season.

The Bears have tried to change their identity as a team this year. Rather than rely on running and defense as they had in the past, they put their squad in the hands of a gun-slinger-Jay Cutler. This has not worked well at all and maybe next year they will go back to their past identity.

Bulldogs season falls short

Riverside Brookfield varsity football season came to an end on Friday night, facing of against playoff rival Hubbard in the opening round of Class 6A playoffs.

During the first drive of the night, the bulldogs marched down the field with a powerful drive until being stopped by a turnover of downs at the inside of the greyhounds’ 25 yard line.

With a momentum boost from the big fourth down stop, Hubbard went on to score 14 unrivaled points and took control of the game until the second quarter when quarterback Billy Vandemerkt scored on a quarterback draw to cut the lead to 14-6. However Hubbard came right back with a field goal before the half to make it 17-6.

In the start of the second half Hubbard took off on the run game. With a couple of touchdowns the greyhounds strengthened their commanding lead by making it even bigger at 30-6. The bulldogs’ power defense could not stop the power house run game of the greyhounds having let up over 400 yards.

The dogs couldn’t get anything going on the offensive side of the game with a season low of 115 yards in the air; it just wasn’t enough to spark the offense.

The dogs finished the season at 6-4 overall and 5-1 in conference, sharing the conference title with Fenton.

With a highlight season from many players this year including Mark McDonagh’s 165 receptions not only sets a state record but a national record as well. With a season coming to an end wide receiver Mark McDonagh said “It was a fun year and I’m glad I could spend it with my teammates and coaches; it was a year I will remember for the rest of my life.”

Although they are losing many key players due to graduating this year, the bulldogs are already preparing and getting set for next season.

Football lives on in pickup games

On November 7, the second week of Indian Garden’s football kicked off. This group of 11 Bulldogs and one friar engaged in some hardcore football, even drawing blood. The students used the lines from a soccer field as boundaries with goal lines marked off by cones.

The teams were picked by Captains Vince Varbaro and Ted Radek. Team Bag-o-Donuts consisted of Varbaro, Alex Kavouriaris, Christian Hitt, Paul Beckett, Ian Robertson, and Tommy Gilbert. Team Tommy D consisted of Ted Radek, Tommy Doherty, Ben Johnson, Jeremy Fong, Ivan Garcia, and Alex Magdic.

The game kicked off around 2 o’clock with a lot of miscommunication because of two touchdowns in three plays. The Kavouriaris and Hitt connection was seemingly unbeatable with four touchdowns through the air. Hitt was clearly the sleeper in this draft – second to last pick.

Although the defense was rocky at first, Bag-o-Donuts picked up in the end with big tackles out of Robertson and Beckett. Robertson Kavouriaris both had rushing touchdowns as well.

Despite Bag-o-Donuts effort it was no match for Team Doherty’s wildcat offense. With  Doherty taking the snaps, lead blocking by Radek and Johnson, the run game was truly unbeatable. Doherty had a career day with six rushing touchdowns and one passing touchdown.

But the play of the day must be credited to Magdic forcing Beckett to fumble going into the end zone. That takeaway set up the game winning pass-and-catch between Doherty and Garcia for a Team Doherty victory 7-6.

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